


Achoo!

by rudbeckia



Series: candyfloss marshmallow fluff [6]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Fluff, M/M, seriously sappy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 06:29:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15657672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rudbeckia/pseuds/rudbeckia
Summary: For the prompt on tumblr (from sorryuser via softkyluxkinks):kylux au where hux is a flower vendor and kylo hates flowers but stops there everyday on his way to work to buy some because hux is cute and soft  and delicate lookin like the flowers and kylo’s whipped





	Achoo!

Armitage hears the door jingle as it opens and smiles into the arrangement of pink tulips on his worktable. He constrains the delicate stems with a broad, cerise bow then lifts the bulbous glass vase and carries it through to display on the shelf at eye level above the buckets of imported blooms all neatly arranged by colour. He looks toward the door.  
“Good morning! See something you like?”  
The customer looks up, a little pink in the cheeks and is already getting red around the eyes. “Yes,” he says. Armitage smiles. He always says yes. 

+++

On Monday he said yes to a small bunch of yellow-petalled daffodils that Armitage knew would open to reveal a secret: orange trumpets. Armitage complimented the customer’s suit and found out he worked in the city, so gave him an extra bud to brighten his desk.

On Tuesday it was a scent that caught his attention and Armitage watched his face as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply while Armitage held a spray of fresh-cut lilac up for him. He sneezed once but said it brought back memories of home. He said yes to a loose bunch wrapped in silvery paper and tied off with a simple blue bow.

On Wednesday Armitage plucked up courage to ask where ‘home’ was that grew wild lilacs and such a beautiful accent, and found out that his customer had a nervous laugh, a sweet blush, and came from a town he’d never heard of in a state he couldn’t guarantee to be able to pinpoint on a map. That day Armitage had offered him the posy of freesias he’d picked out specially as soon as the delivery had arrived. His customer said yes then apologised and dabbed at his nose with a paper tissue.

On Thursday Armitage waited for the door to open but by ten his customer had not come. He set the arrangement of cheerful sunflowers on the counter and a tall, blonde woman bought them to make her daughter smile. Armitage almost yelled, “we just closed,” at the door when he heard the bell jingle at a minute to six but stopped himself in time. He apologised that there wasn’t much left but the customer still gave him a smile as he wrapped multicoloured sweetpeas in white paper and handed them over. After the door closed and Armitage locked it, he turned and addressed the bare display tables instead. “I missed you this morning. What’s your name?”

On Friday morning the sun shone and Armitage set up a display on the pavement. He saw the customer walk up from the tube station, a nervous look on his face. Armitage called to him.  
“Hi! You walk past my shop every day? Is that why you’re such a reliable customer?”  
The customer laughed. “I guess so.” Armitage gazed into brown eyes that held his full attention. “But there’s more to it than that,” the customer said. “I like beautiful things. They make me feel...” He laughed again and shrugged. “Something. Um. My name’s Ben.”  
“Armitage,” said Armitage, pointing to his name badge. “Do you see anything beautiful out here?”  
“Yes,” said Ben. “Striking. Strong but delicate.”  
Armitage felt his stomach flutter. “You’re not even looking at the flowers.”  
“I don’t know what to ask for,” Ben said. “Can I come back at the end of the day?”  
“Of course,” replied Armitage, turning to hide the flush in his cheeks. “But you can’t go empty handed. Wait here just a minute.”  
Armitage came back out of his shop with a single crimson rosebud that he threaded into Ben’s buttonhole and patted down. “I close at six but I’m usually here until seven, tidying up ready for tomorrow.”

+++

“I didn’t think I‘d see you today.” Armitage says. “It’s Saturday.”  
“I can buy flowers any day, can’t I?” Ben replies, smiling.  
“That all depends on who they’re for,” Armitage says, walking over. Ben’s not in his suit today and Armitage lets his eyes wander over the tight jeans and the midnight blue shirt with buttons that threaten to pop open across Ben’s broad chest and reveal more of the white vest beneath.  
“Well,” Ben looks at the flowers on display. “I met this gorgeous guy. I’ve been working up the courage to ask him out all week and finally I did and he let me take him out for a drink after work yesterday.”  
“Oh really?” Armitage bites his lip and tries not to giggle at the warmth spreading through his core. “How did it go?”  
“I think it went well. We had drinks and we talked but he had to be at work early this morning so we had to kiss goodnight. I’d like to ask him out again.” Ben sneezes, apologises, then chews his lower lip. Armitage watches, sucking his own lower lip in empathy. “What do you think? Is it too early to give him roses and invite him for dinner at my place?”  
“Hmm,” Armitage pushes his hand through his hair and smiles. “I think that would be okay. Maybe not flowers though, if you have allergies and he works with the damn things all day.”  
Ben grins. “Pick you up at seven,” he says and leans in for a kiss.


End file.
